Texas history has long forgotten those who served as the rear action guard for Texas General Sam Houston’s retreating army, after the fall of the Alamo to Mexican General Santa Ana’s soldiers.
Houston was concerned about the Mexican cavalry attacking his army from behind.
Unlike the Mexican infantry who often recruited convicts and prisoners at the point of a sword, Mexican soldiers had to show they were excellent horsemen to qualify for the cavalry who all carried metal tipped sharped edges on their 7-foot lancers.
Many of the Mexican cavalrymen wore metal helmets and metal vests, so they looked and fought like the medieval knights of old.
General Houston could have chosen Capt. John Billingsly, a frontiersman and Indian fighter, or Capt Mosely Baker, totally fearless and a good shot, or Capt Henry Karnes, an excellent scout.
And all these Texas captains had fought the Mexican infantry before and were good choices, but his best choice to confront the Mexican cavalry was his Tejano vaqueros under the command of Capt. Juan Seguin.
These rancheros were riding horses before they could walk and had all worked on their ranches, branding cattle and roping horses.
According to the memoirs of Juan Seguin, he felt honored and privileged to have his company of Tejanos chosen to be Houston’s army rear guard action, and his Tejano soldiers were not going to let the general down.
Houston’s deepest concerns came true, when advanced units of Mexican cavalry confronted Capt Seguin’s Tejanos at the town of San Felipe at the river crossing.
Gun shots were exchanged, but the Mexican cavalry were never able to cross over to attack the Texas army.
Seguin’s Tejanos were able to catch up to General Houston and fight with their Texas comrades at the Battle of San Jacinto to help win Texas Independence.
In addition to being Houston’s rear guard action, Capt. Seguin and his Tejanos fought in five different battles, including the Alamo and San Jacinto, but Texas history does not even remember their military contributions with a foot note in the history books.
However, on Saturday, March 10, 2018, at the San Benito Fair Grounds, battle field re-enactors will honor our Tejano heroes and Texas heroes at the re-enactments of the Battle of the Alamo and San Jacinto, and hopefully the battle field narrator will explain all the actions and events leading up to these battles.
Viva Tejas y vivan los Tejanos.
Jack Ayoub Harlingen
